Finally, Damocles’ sword falls: Hyderabad Cricket Association secretary, president disqualified

HYDERABAD: The proverbial Damocles’ sword, which was hanging over the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president G Vivekanand, finally fell and cut through the top echelons of the State body on Thursday, with the disqualifications of the president and the secretary T Sheshnarayan by the ombudsman Justice (retd) L Narasimha Reddy. While the former has been disqualified on the account ‘conflict of interest’, Sheshnarayan has been told to vacate the office owing to his name figuring as ‘an accused’ in an Anti Corruption Bureau case.

Vivekanand’s position as one of the advisors to the State government had been repeatedly brought to fore by the opposition, who, led by HCA member and former MP V Hanumantha Rao, had called for his removal, arguing that it was an appointment “in the rank of a Cabinet minister”. The Justice Lodha Committee guidelines state that ministers and government servants cannot hold office in cricket administration.

The order given by the ombudsman, a copy of which is under this paper’s possession, states: “A clear ‘conflict of interest exists vis-a-vis G vivekanand on account of the commercial contract between Visaka Industries, of which he is a Director, and the HCA. He also stands disqualified on account of his appointment as an advisor to government....” The contract was terminated by the former HCA president Arshad Ayub.

The ombudsman has directed the HCA to hold the elections for the now-empty offices, and handed the responsibility of running the association to the Vice-President (Anil Kumar) and the Treasurer (P Mahender). “Both of them shall cease to hold their respective office from the date of this order. The HCA will take steps to hold elections for the offices of the president and the secretary, in accordance to the provisions of law. Till such time, the Vice President and Treasurer shall act as in-charge president and in-charge secretary (respectively). They shall, however, not take any policy decisions, except through a proper resolution of a general body,” the concluding part of the order reads.

The HCA recently came under spotlight nationally, when former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin was stopped before being allowed to attend the special general meeting of the state body held on January 7. The in-fighting between Vivekanand and Sheshnarayan had also made headlines.